My One Promise
by Chibi Kai Lover
Summary: Thanks to the yamis (Bakura & Marik), a curse is placed on Yugi - which causes him to become weaker and weaker. Yami promises to protect Yugi, no matter what - but can Yugi really be saved? **Chapter 8 up!**
1. A Warning?

My One Promise  
  
Allo everyone! I thought I'd give a shot at writing a Yu-Gi-Oh fic! Woohoo, my first (and hopefully not my last) one! In case you didn't know, my past works include 'The Battle With Myself' and 'Complicated', two *completed* Beyblade fics. And like my others, this story promises to be sad with a twisted ending! And also, I don't do OOCs, they annoy me to hell. Well anyway, enough babbling . . .on with the story!  
  
Disclaimer: Me no own Yu-Gi-Oh (at least not yet . . .)  
  
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Like most other days, school seemed long and boring. Especially today, due to the fact the sun's rays were shining brilliant warmth over everything -even the tiniest ant. There wasn't a single cloud in the bright blue-sky, and the cool, gentle breeze only added to the perfection.  
  
Yugi Mutou, a freshman at Domino High, sighed lightly as he let his face drop into his cupped hand. He continued to stare out the window, feeling slightly upset that he was 'trapped' in school on a beautiful day like today.  
  
"Oh, why do I have to be here?" he thought; now being totally oblivious to his presence in the classroom. He desperately wanted to be outside, hearing the waves crash against the algae-covered rocks as he 'practice' duelled against one of his friends. Hearing the birds chirp, watching the care-free people walk by; hand-in-hand . . .  
  
"Yugi Mutou!"  
  
A sudden shrill voice, however, 'kindly' reminded him that he, in fact, wasn't outside. He was stuck in school -well, at least for another five minutes, according to the slow-ticking clock on the wall. He blinked himself out of his daydream, then turned his attention to the short plump woman standing in front of him. She was tapping her foot whilst her arms were crossed, looking slightly impatient.  
  
"Oh . . .I'm sorry Ma'am. My mind was . . . somewhere else," he said quietly, his cheeks blushing a slight shade of red. A few muffled laughs were then heard from around the classroom, as everyone had their gaze on the slumped boy. His teacher's expression turned from impatient to flustered, but her deep brown eyes never lost contact with Yugi's. She wasn't impressed.  
  
"Well in that case, I'm sorry for waking you from your nap," she said, sarcastically of course. "Maybe a detention after school tomorrow will help you keep your mind on what's important!"  
  
Few more stifled giggles were heard from about the class, which only caused Yugi to groan meagrely as his cheeks turned an even brighter shade of red. He somehow sunk lower in his seat, wishing he had paid at least the slightest bit of attention. Luckily for him, the bell finally rang, signalling the end of another school day. Yugi couldn't help but kick up his heels as he quickly made his way out of the room, amongst the whispers and snickers of his peers.  
  
As expected, the sun beamed down on him as he stepped outside. His purplish eyes managed to adjust themselves to the sudden on-pour of light as he grasped his bag tighter; happy to be free. Within moments, his hands made their way down to the golden pyramid, which was chained around his neck. The sun's rays reflected merrily against it, highlighting the mysterious eye-symbol engraved on the front. Yugi smiled cheerfully as he walked around the stairs, then leaning up against the side of the wall, patiently waiting for his friends. In the mean time, he decided to keep himself entertained, so he figured a quick conversation with Yami would do the trick. He concentrated hard, then managed to open the mind link the two shared. But before Yugi got the chance to say anything, he heard the deep voice that was Yami, laughing.  
  
"Another long day of school?" he inquired, still chuckling quietly.  
  
"You know it," the younger boy replied, letting his head rest against the wall. "My teacher was mean enough to give me a detention tomorrow!"  
  
"Getting into trouble again, are we Yugi?" Yami responded in a mocking sort of tone. He knew very well that his keeper hardly ever got into trouble.  
  
"It wasn't my fault! I didn't want to be in class today! It's too nice a day to be stuck in there!" He sighed to himself yet again, looking quickly around to see if he saw his friends coming. But there was no sign of them yet.  
  
"The feeling is neutral," came Yami's voice moments after. Yugi blinked, now turning his gaze to his Millennium Puzzle. After all, what the Pharaoh said was true. He WAS being cooped up inside the golden pyramid, and on such a beautiful day too. Yugi began feeling kind of guilty, and sorry for the poor guy. But before he got the chance to say anything, he heard a familiar accented voice calling him.  
  
"Hey Yug', how's it hangin'?" Joey said happily, waving a quick arm in the air and walking in his direction. Tristan followed closely behind, lightly smirking as well.  
  
"Oh, hey Joey!" the shorter boy replied, watching as his two friends darted over in his direction. But then he noticed that their usual group was minus a person. He gazed towards the school doors in hopes of seeing her, but never the less she wasn't there. "Where's Téa?"  
  
Both teens shrugged, then Tristan spoke. "She said she had to be somewhere, and fast. Phsh, you know . . .women."  
  
All three of them let out a small laugh, then began slowly walking away. The wind gently blew their hair as they trotted down the barren road, talking amongst themselves. Joey was bragging about a P.E. test that he whizzed (every other class he flunked, so Yugi and Tristan were praising him for it). But when Yugi mentioned the detention he had received, Joey went into hysterics.  
  
"You of all people gettin' a detention? What's the world comin' to?" He chimed, throwing his hands in the air for special effect. Yugi laughed lightly at his friend's attempt to make him feel better. But all in the mean time, he wasn't feeling too great himself. It wasn't the detention, no; the weird feeling was physical. He felt slightly dizzy, even somewhat queasy. But he figured it was only because he was standing in the sunlight for too long a time. So, smiling just as brightly as the sunshine, he turned to his two buddies.  
  
"How about I meet up with you guys later? I'm feeling a bit nauseous, so I'm going to go lie down for a bit."  
  
"Really? Aw man, that sucks," Tristan replied, looking his friend over carefully. He did seem kind of pale, after all. Joey mirrored Tristan's moves, then smirked at Yugi.  
  
"If you say so Yug'. We'll stop by a bit later to pick ya up." The smaller boy nodded.  
  
"All right then, see you guys later!" he called as he walked towards his Grandfather's Game Store. They waved in response, then began sauntering away, pushing each other all the while. Yugi smiled at a girl as she jogged by, then pushed open the doors to the Gaming Shop. "Hey Grampa!" he stated, walking up to where his grandfather was kneeling down.  
  
The elderly man turned his gaze up at his grandson, smiling cheerfully. "Ah Yugi! How was your day?" he inquired.  
  
"Not too great, but can I tell you later? I'm feeling a little dizzy and I want to go lie down." By now, everything was beginning to slightly blur, but he didn't want to mention this. He didn't want his grandfather worrying about him too much when it was probably just a bit of over-heating.  
  
"Yes, that's fine. Are you feeling sick?" Again, the teen didn't want him worrying too much, so he simply shook his head. Then without another word spoken, Yugi turned on heel and marched upstairs to his room.  
  
Closing the door behind him, he lay sprawled across his bed, staring at the ceiling. He made himself concentrate really hard for a moment, closing his eyes and trying to open up the link between him and Yami again. Upon opening his eyes, a celestial version of the pharaoh was sitting atop the bed as well.  
  
"What's wrong? Not feeling well?" Yami asked, staring at the pale-faced Yugi.  
  
"Yeah, I'm not feeling too great. It's probably because of all the sunshine . . .that I'm over-heated I guess." The boy got up momentarily, pulling down the shades, allowing mainly darkness to consume the room. Yami watched as Yugi lay back down, closing his eyes once again. They both sat in silence for a few minutes, until the former pharaoh decided to break the silence.  
  
"I don't mean to frighten you, but I can sense that some kind of trouble is brewing. I'm not sure of the cause, but I can definitely feel something. I suggest we keep our eyes open for anything suspicious."  
  
Yugi nodded slightly, feeling himself drift off to the world of dreams. Unfortunately for the both of them, they didn't realise that the trouble brewing had actually already begun. And it all had to do with the boy and his puzzle.  
  
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Yes yes, I know. There wasn't much action in that chapter what so ever. I apologise, but you know. First chapters are sometimes like that. But I promise you things will start to heat up in the next chapter, so stay tuned. I want to know what you guys think so far, so PLEASE review! I love reviews to pieces! And before I forget, please don't flame me. Flames make me sad, and I don't like them. Well, until the next update my readers. Chiao! 


	2. The Chaos Begins!

My One Promise  
  
Hey everyone! Thanks for the reviews, they were very sweet. I'll try and keep up my end of the bargain and write more chapters! Here we go!  
  
Disclaimer: Look up 'lazy' in the dictionary and you'll know why I'm not doing disclaimers for anymore chapters!  
  
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After about an hour of exacerbating rest, Yugi found himself waking up. But still, even though he knew he was awake, he didn't feel like opening his eyes. He was feeling worse then before. So, trying his best to fall back asleep, he pictured himself on one of his better days, duelling against . . .oh, let's say Kaiba.  
  
He had managed to almost doze off again, when there came a gentle knock at the door. After a quick momentary argument with himself, he decided to open his eyes.  
  
"Yugi, your friends are here!" came his grandfather's muffled voice from behind the wooden frame.  
  
"O . . .OK Grandpa!" Yugi lightly called, fighting with himself to sit up. Once he was in a sitting position, he didn't seem to feel as bad anymore. He smiled casually to the nothingness of his room, then steadily stood himself up, where he stretched soothingly and let out a small yawn. He turned around, where he saw his Millennium puzzle lying still on the ground beside his bed. Swooping down carefully, he picked up the gleaming object and fixed the chain around his neck. Now grasping it tightly, he made his way through his door and down the stairs, where he was then greeted merrily by his friends. Joey and Tristan where there, and as it seemed, they were joined by Tea ((a/n -I don't feel like putting the accent thingy on the 'e')) and Bakura.  
  
"Hey Yug', you feeling better?" Joey asked, clapping his friend on the back. The shorter boy still kept the beaming smile on his face.  
  
"Yea, I feel much better now!" he said happily, slipping on his multi- coloured running shoes.  
  
"Don't forget your deck! We can have a 'friendly' duel in the park!" Joey added, raising an inquiring finger and smirking. It was one of his goals to finally beat Yugi in a duel (can't see that happening anytime soon!). The teen nodded, then quickly grabbed his deck and met his friends outside.  
  
Just as he remembered it from an hour ago, the weather outside couldn't be more beautiful. There were still no clouds in the bright blue sky, and a gentle breeze blew by occasionally to cool one off. The group of five slowly made their way to the park- joking, laughing, and enjoying their time together.  
  
After finally making it to the exquisite sanctuary of gardens, they all decided to take in the shade of a nearby oak tree. There, both Yugi and Joey pulled out their precious decks, getting ready for the long awaited battle.  
  
Yugi, however, figured that it would be a lot more fun if he didn't call upon Yami to help him duel. No, this time it was going to be him that would win. He believed in the 'heart of his deck', and that would be all he needed to prevail.  
  
"I'll place one card face down on the field, and then I'll summon Gearfried the Iron Knight (ATK/1800, DEF/1600) in attack mode!" Joey stated, slamming his first card on the ground with a smirk. There was no way he was going to lose this duel!  
  
Yugi blinked, then looked at his own hand. But with the 'assistance' of a sudden strong breeze, the cards he was holding seemed to multiply. He found himself looking at about fifteen cards. "What's . . .happening?" he thought to himself, finding it odd that he could feel so dizzy in a matter of seconds, especially when he didn't do anything that could make him feel like this. He tried desperately to get it to go away, but nothing seemed to work.  
  
Then, just when he thought things couldn't get any worse; he gave his friends the worry of a lifetime. His big purple eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he fell backward; totally unconscious. Almost everyone gasped and jumped to his side.  
  
"Oh my God, Yugi!" Tea cried, placing worried hands on the side of her face. Tristan and Joey knelt there for a few seconds, dumbfounded and not knowing what to do. A sudden 'proclamation' from their female friend quickly made up their minds, however. "Don't just sit there! Check for a pulse!"  
  
Tristan lifted up the pale teen's arm, placing two erect fingers on his wrist. Everyone waited in absolute silence as they awaited an answer on their friend's condition.  
  
"He's still alive . . . his pulse is fine. But do you think we should get him to a hospital? Or should we just bring him home?"  
  
"Hospital!"  
  
"Home," Both Tea and Joey said at the same time. They both gave each other sideways glances.  
  
"Joey, we have to get him to the hospital! Who knows what could be wrong with him!"  
  
"Nonsense Tea! We should bring him to his Gran'pa! He should know what to do!"  
  
"But Joey -"  
  
"Hey you two, now's not the time to be fighting!" Tristan interrupted, standing up with the unperceiving Yugi in his arms.  
  
All the meanwhile, (Yami) Bakura remained in the shade, a small smirk on his face. "Good. Everything is going as planned. And soon enough, I shall claim my prize . . ."  
  
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Well? Well? Everyone like it? Hate it (hope you didn't)? Leave me lots of reviews and tell me what you think. (Don't forget, all flames will be used in my fireplace!). Sorry it was kind of short, but meh, I wanted to leave it on a cliff-hanger. *Sticks out tongue anime style* Until the next chapter, everyone! 


	3. Awakening

My One Promise, Part Three  
  
Ah, you guys are the best! Again, thanks for the nice comments. I'm trying my best not to make the story boring, but you know . . .not every chapter can have a lot of action. Well, onward hoe with the part three!  
  
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The now setting sun was beating down heavily upon their back. Joey, who was carrying Yugi in his arms ((a/n -for future references, I don't plan on making this fic a shounen ai/yaoi)), was beginning to tire. The group had decided it would be best to take Yugi back home and inform his grandfather, and from there he could bring his grandson to the hospital if he wished. But still, as if nothing was wrong with anything, the breeze whispered past their sweating faces, cooling them down (even if it was just the slightest bit).  
  
"There's the place," Tristan huffed, extending his arm and pointing to the little Gaming Store ahead. But other then that, there were no words spoken between them all as they rushed as fast as they could, desperate to help poor Yugi before anything . . .serious happened.  
  
Practically breaking down the front door (or at least snapping the bell off the top of the frame), all three of them ran inside, looking in every possible direction for Yugi's grandfather.  
  
"Hey, Gramps'!" Joey shouted, spotting the old man kneeling behind the counter, his hands digging through some dusty boxes. He instantly darted in that direction, Tristan and Tea following close behind.  
  
"Oh hi boys, aren't . . .oh my! Yugi!" he suddenly stated, immediately noticing his unconscious grandson lying in Joey's arms. He came over immediately. "What happened to him?"  
  
"That's just it, sir, we don't know." Tea replied, looking on as her ill- stricken friend was taken upstairs to his room. "We were all sitting in the park under a tree, when he suddenly just . . .collapsed."  
  
"He did say he was feelin' dizzy when we were walkin' home from school. Maybe he's comin' down with a cold or somethin'," Joey noted, lying his small acquaintance on his bed.  
  
"A cold in the summer? Come on Joey, get real!" Tristan said, standing by the door. Joey walked over and stood beside him, watching as Yugi's grandpa felt for a fever.  
  
"He is burning up. Tea, would you please fetch me a damp cloth?" The girl simply nodded and ran out of the room. Tristan watched her run off, then turned his gaze back to Yugi, who seemed to be stirring slightly in his bed. Everyone watched helplessly as his eyes tightened and he grasped his dark blue covers tenaciously. He looked to either be in extreme pain, or having some sort of nightmare. Whichever one it was, Yugi didn't seem to be enjoying it. His shaking hand then made its way to the Millennium Puzzle, taking hold of the chain and trying to . . .pull it off?  
  
"Here," Tea suddenly panted out, barging back into the little room and handing the cloth to Yugi's grandfather. He folded it neatly, then placed the dampened white cloth across his grandson's pale forehead. It wasn't even on for five seconds, when Yugi's purple eyes suddenly snapped open, and he sat up just as quickly.  
  
"No!" he cried out, clenching his teeth and staring straight ahead, as if upset by something. At first glance, he didn't seem to notice he was back in his own room. But upon hearing his grandpa's gentle voice, he managed to calm down a bit.  
  
"Yugi!" All four voices sounded, relieved to have him wake up.  
  
"It's all right now, calm down," Mr. Mutou stated, placing a supportive hand on his grandson's arm. Yugi jumped slightly at the touch, then turned to face his on-lookers.  
  
"Oh, it's only you grandpa," he breathed out, wiping his face on his sleeve. Even though he looked extremely relaxed now that he knew he was safe in his room, his appearance was still rather pale. To make matters worse, Yugi let out a few violent coughs, then allowed himself to fall back onto his pillow, feeling extreme pain in his chest.  
  
~~*~~*~~*~~ (Meanwhile)  
  
"Is all going according to plan, Bakura?" Marik stammered, leaning gallantly against the damp wall. He had no problem wandering down dark alleyways just after sunset. For now, the air was indeed cooler.  
  
"Yes, everything seems to be going fine. The Squirt passed out earlier; but what his friends did with him, I don't know."  
  
"Hmm, excellent. All is happening well. And if the plan works out like it should be, the Pharaoh won't have a body to dwell in any longer! After all, if his keeper gets sick, who else is there to protect the Puzzle?"  
  
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Gah! It's almost midnight! I better get to bed (math test tomorrow). Hope everyone liked it! Leave me lots of reviews to feel special about, hee hee hee! Sayonara for now! 


	4. Don't Stand a Chance

My One Promise, Part Four  
  
Gomen nasai everyone! I didn't mean to doddle this long with this fic, but I have my reasons! Number one is that I have some kind of writer's block, and number two is that I'm also currently writing a separate Beyblade fic as well. And, seeing as grade eleven gets in the way, I have things really tied up. But still, I promise I'll update as often as I can. Well, on with the story!  
  
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After tending to the sickened boy, making sure everything was somewhat under control, Yugi's friends decided to give their companion a bit of room to himself. Even though he was indeed beginning to feel the dramatic effects of illness, it was best he get some much-needed rest. And besides, the sun had now set completely, barely illuminating the sky in those beautiful shades of pink, orange and purple.  
  
His grandpa was the last to leave, being overprotective of his grandson to some extent. He once again checked Yugi's temperature, brought him a glass of water, fluffed his pillows, and opened the window (just a sliver). He finally bid the teen goodnight, and closed the door behind him, allowing the room to become swallowed in darkness. But after trying for ten whole minutes -tossing, turning, throwing off the blankets, and what not else, Yugi found he couldn't sleep. His eyes had finally adjusted themselves to the gloominess of the room, allowing him to stare incoherently at the ceiling above. He traced patterns with his finger, counted the number of visible specks, and even tried to visualise duelling with his friends. But as it seemed, nothing at that moment was going to help . . .or was there something?  
  
He forced his aching body to lean over the side, swoop down and pick up the form of the puzzle. Maybe a little chat with Yami was all he needed to calm his nerves. He grasped the chain tightly, lifting himself back up and resting on his pillow. Concentrating as much as he could, he opened the mind link with the Pharaoh after a few moments. Upon opening his eyes, he saw a faint, blurry vision of his friend sitting on the bed.  
  
"Yugi, you aren't looking too well," Yami stated, his scarlet eyes somehow shimmering in the darkness. The younger teen let out a slightly muffled cough, but forced a usual cheery smile on his pale face.  
  
"It's nothing to be worried about I'm sure. Maybe it's just a summer cold, or over-exhaustion."  
  
Yami simply nodded in response, then stood up and made his way over to the window. His eyes carefully studied any visible stars, watching them twinkle happily in the sky. Yugi, who was gladdened that the Pharaoh was watching over him, managed to close his eyes at long last. His body and mind were screaming for sleep, and he let himself give into the demands. He drifted slowly off to the world of fantasy and dreams without another word spoken.  
  
The Pharaoh, however, wasn't at all happy himself. He had sensed some kind of evil growing, but at the time, wasn't sure what it was. Now, possibilities flooded his mind like a river in the spring. 'This sudden sickness can't just be coincidental. I think that someone's behind this. How, I cannot tell, but I can definitely smell trouble brewing.' He continued to look up at the growing amount of stars, trying with everything he had to piece together everything he knew. It was going to be a long night . . .  
  
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ (early the next morning)  
  
Heat! Yugi hadn't even opened his eyes yet, and already he felt like it was going to be a bad day. He was sweating like no tomorrow, even with most of his blankets on the floor. The window was still open a crack, which didn't seem to help at all. He brought his arm up to his forehead, wiping off a few of the beads of perspiration and opening his eyes.  
  
"Phew," he breathed out, now being fully awake. He glanced at the clock, and nearly fell out of bed. "Eleven o'clock? That can't be good!" he shouted, hoisting himself out of bed and running to the closet for his uniform. He soon discovered, however, that this wasn't such a good idea. His sight began to blur, and everything in his room looked to be spinning in a rapid tornado. So, stumbling backwards, he collapsed back onto his bed. "I'm still not feeling so well. Maybe that's why grandpa let me sleep in today. I guess he doesn't want me going to school and risk fainting again." He gaped longingly over to the window, wishing he had the energy to stand up once more and open the gleaming glass further. A sound of faltering footsteps soon broke his terrain of thought.  
  
"Oh Yugi, I'm glad to see you awake. Are you feeling any better?" It was his grandfather, cantering through the door with a tray. Once he laid it down on the wooden desk, Yugi saw that it contained a delicious-looking breakfast -toast, cereal, eggs, waffles, and a glass of juice. As appealing as it looked, the teen couldn't seem to find his appetite.  
  
"I'm still not feeling too well, grandpa," he stated, not bothering to raise himself up. He tried to smile, but it only resulted in him coughing up a storm.  
  
"Oh my," the elderly man cried, lifting his grandson up slightly, trying to help him breathe a little easier. Once the bearer of the puzzle calmed down a bit, his grandfather turned on heel immediately. "I'd better go and call a doctor to come and check up on you."  
  
Yugi couldn't complain. In fact, he felt a little relieved to finally be able to know what the problem was. He watched his grandpa leave promptly, then turned his complete attention to the food on the desk. His rumbling stomach demanded him to eat, in which of course he listened. He picked up one of the toast pieces and took a few small bites. The buttery taste almost made him feel queasy, but he still continued to munch on the bread.  
  
Unfortunately, he soon found out that his food wasn't going to stay down . . .  
  
~~*~~*~~ (meanwhile, at Domino High)  
  
It was lunch-time at the school, and commotion of all kinds could be heard from outside. The teens within enjoyed this part of the school day best.  
  
"Hello everyone," Bakura said merrily, waving and smiling at his small group of friends. But his companions didn't return the cheerful look. Each one of them looked more depressed then the last. This caused slight confusion with the transfer student, who blinked curiously. "May I ask what is the matter?"  
  
"It's Yugi," Tristan replied, his head resting on his crossed arms. "It wasn't too hearty when we left yesterday."  
  
Bakura's look dropped. "Oh, I'm . . .sorry to hear that . . ."  
  
"Worse off, we don't know what's wrong with him," Tea added, starring at her sandwich unenthusiastically.  
  
On the outside, Bakura made himself look as saddened as the others. But on the inside, however, he was laughing uncontrollably. "So . . .the plan IS working well. Marik will be pleased to hear that. Very pleased indeed. Soon little Yugi's time will be up, and there will be no one left to protect the Millennium Puzzle . . ."  
  
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Well, another chapter down. Hope you guys still have interest in it. The real action should be starting in the next chapter or two, I promise. I also received a request to make this a shounen ai fic (Yugi/Yami). I'm not sure whether I am or not, I'll leave that decision up to you guys. You want it to be a Yami/Yugi fic? Let me know in a review, it'll help me lots. The highest in ranking will win. Well, thanks for reading. Don't forget a pretty review for me! Until chapter five . . . 


	5. Time is Running Up

My One Promise: Chapter 5  
  
Allo everyone! It's been a while since my last update, ne? Aheh, I apologise. Anyway, I want to thank everyone who has been kind enough to review. Your kind words mean so much to me! Thanks again!  
  
A friend of mine asked me how this story ends (which won't be for a while, don't worry). And I'm gonna let out a bit of a fair warning, the end is going to be sad, just like all my other stories (^_^;). Not much more to say . . . so on with the story!  
  
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The day seemed to drag on longer than ever before. Sitting in class on a hot and sticky day wasn't the least bit fun. Especially considering the fact that their friend's health condition was far from normal. Each one of them was worried. So naturally they had decided to stop by Yugi's house immediately after school to check up on him.  
  
"This day just isn't gonna end, is it?" Joey thought to himself as he stared blankly at the slow-ticking clock on the wall. He never liked schooling much to begin with, but this was just ridiculous! There were only ten minutes left, but it was beginning to feel like an eternity.  
  
"Hey, Joey!" Tristan whispered, lightly throwing a piece of an eraser at his dazed friend. Joey blinked a couple of times, but finally turned his attention to Tristan.  
  
"Eh?" he asked, making sure the teacher was lost in her own little world of mathematics. "What's up, Tris'?"  
  
"This day just isn't gonna end!" he murmured, obvious frustration echoing in his voice. He dropped his head into his crossed and folded arms, letting out a long and excruciating sigh. He closed his eyes slightly, still lightly gazing in the direction of his dirty blonde-haired companion.  
  
Joey smiled slightly. That was exactly what he was thinking just moments before. He leaned back in his wooden chair, letting his back slacken. But he found that the smile on his face soon faded as a quick mental picture of Yugi lying helplessly in bed flashed in his mind. This caused him to grit his teeth meagrely and gaze up at the clock on the wall again. Just three more minutes . . .  
  
He looked back at Tristan, who almost seemed to be sleeping. He raised a brow curiously at his friend, then shook his head, lightly ruffling his golden hair. His brown eyes then made their way to the scenery outside. Today, just like the previous three days, was absolutely perfect. Beaming sunshine, small fluffy white clouds brushing the bright blue sky and the mercury in the thermometer had elevated to a whopping 39 degrees Celsius ((a/n - that's about 102 degrees Fahrenheit ^-^)). Joey suddenly felt a warm, yet chilling breeze blow gently across his face, which made him kind of 'snap out of it'.  
  
BBBRRRIINNNGGG!!  
  
Finally, after what seemed like infinity, the school bell ultimately echoed throughout Domino High . . .signalling to the students it was time to leave. Téa, Joey, Tristan, and Bakura were the first ones to leave. They grabbed their book-bags quickly, then dashed through the classroom doors and down the now-populated hallways.  
  
Their pace slowed abruptly as they all poured outside. Their eyes clouded momentarily, seeing as the sun was so bright it took a moment for them to adjust to the sudden stream of light. But after the small interlude, they were back on track and heading in the direction of their sick friend's house.  
  
~~*~~*~~*~~  
  
"Oh, man!" came Tristan's voice from up ahead as they neared Yugi's place. The others looked up in anticipation that Tristan's news wasn't that bad. But before the taller teen could continue his foreboding speech, the others had already seen for themselves.  
  
"Oh my God, no!" Téa cried, lifting her hands to cover her now-opened mouth. "Yugi!" Joey let out a small huff and Bakura merely stood there, not knowing what to say.  
  
An ambulance was parked in front of the Kame Game Store, and the little blue/red lights at the top were flashing persistently. The group just stood there, not knowing whether they should go and find out what was wrong, or just continue standing there in hopes that Yugi's grandfather or someone would see them. But after standing dumbfounded on the road for about a minute or two, Joey, Yugi's best friend, couldn't take it anymore. He let out a growl (of anger), and began running at full speed towards his friend's house. Whatever was happening there, he should, could, and would know what was wrong. The others followed Joey's example, and also began rushing towards the little Game shop.  
  
"Yugi? Gramps? Hey, somebody answer me!" Joey yelled as he burst into the place, almost knocking down the door (again). He poked his head around the corner, where a horrible sight was awaiting him. A small, yet demeaning looking stretcher was being lifted down the stairs by a pair of paramedics. They both held solemn looks on their face as they turned their attention to Joey, who was desperately trying to regain his breath. Bakura, Tristan, and Téa soon joined their companion as they looked on helplessly as Yugi, more ashen then a ghost, was being wheeled away on the stretcher. Mr. Mutou walked depressingly down the staircase moments after.  
  
"Mr. Mutou . . ." Tristan started, but then stopped. He didn't have the heart to even begin asking what had happened. It was quite evident that Yugi's health condition had taken a turn for the worst. Téa, who couldn't help it anymore, buried her face in her hands and began crying. Through all the years she had known the five-foot teen, his sicknesses had never even come close to being this critical.  
  
"It's okay, Téa, everything's going to be all right . . ." Tristan stated gravely, trying his best to cheer up their female friend. He himself knew that things didn't look too good, but he had to try and keep his spirits up. Being upset definitely wasn't going to get Yugi feeling any better. And besides, this is what Yugi himself would have wanted. Through all the bad times, even when things looked to be impossible, the puzzle-bearer never gave up hope. He always tried his best to reassure up his friends; to make them look on the brighter side.  
  
Yugi's grandfather followed the paramedics to the door. Most obviously, he was going to stay with his grandson no matter what. But before he boarded the ambulance, he turned back to where the foursome of teenagers were standing. "I'm going to stay with Yugi until he begins to get better. You're all welcome to come by later on to visit."  
  
Téa lifted her tear-flooded face and nodded in unison with the other three. And on that note, Yugi's grandfather lifted himself into the ambulance . . .and the doors were closed behind him. Soon after, the vehicle began driving away with the sirens screaming and flashing, warning all nearby that a sick person needed immediate medical attention.  
  
"My, I do hope he'll be all right." Bakura said, turning to the others. Téa sniffled a bit, wiping away some of the existing tears. Joey, who remained silent this entire time, looked about ready to cry himself. He had never seen his best friend in such a horrible condition. And before he did say another word, he turned on foot and began walking towards the door. Tristan, who also looked rather torn up about the situation, also began ahead, following closely behind. And before they all knew it, they were all heading in the direction of the bus stop, where they would board the bus and make their way to the hospital.  
  
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~  
  
A darker looking figure slid out slightly from the side of an alley wall. Marik, wearing his usual smirk, had both watched the ambulance come and go. But at the current moment, his eyes were focused on Baruka, hoping that he would give the signal. His hand grasped the wall in apprehension as Bakura, who was following at a slight distance behind the others, turned in his direction and smirked. He then raised his hand mechanically, giving some kind of 'thumbs up'. This was the signal to Marik that all was going as planned.  
  
"Excellent," the Millennium Rod possessor said to himself. "As little Yugi's soul is being drained, his health is going with it. And soon enough, he won't be around anymore to stop me from taking what is rightfully mine . . ."  
  
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~  
  
I always seem to end it on that note, don't I? Well, I like it that way. Kind of like a cliff-hanger . . .but then again, not really. Anywho, yeah. Reviews please!! I love reviews, they keep me going. Sorry if it takes a while for me to update again, but I promise you will see another chapter before the 10th of May! ^_^;;. Thanks for reading, and don't forget to review! Or I might just forget to update! (j/k of course). 


	6. Sickness Revealed

My One Promise, Chapter 6  
  
Well hello all! It's been a while, hasn't it? I apologise. And also, I want to say thank you to all my reviewers. You guys are great! Hope you continue in the future! Nothing more to say, so on with the fic!  
  
Disclaimer: The usual . . .I don't own . . .  
  
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The bus trip seemed to take as long as the school day had. It felt as though it kept travelling on and on in a never-ending circle. But, as we all know, that wasn't what was really going on. It was just because each of them were now worried beyond belief about a certain scarlet-eyed friend.  
  
"Man, I really hope he starts getting better soon . . ." Tristan stated monotonously, his head lowered slightly and his hands folded on his left knee. But Téa, Joey nor Bakura responded to him.  
  
Téa busied herself by staring out the larger window, looking at all the natural scenery as it passed them quickly by. However, she wasn't really enjoying what she was seeing. No, instead she was lost in her own thoughts, her own mind, wondering how everything was going to turn out for them. She was just that kind of person, after all.  
  
Joey was obviously spaced out in his own little world. His chocolate brown eyes were firmly focused on the dirty, black bus floor; however, it was indeed evident that that wasn't what he was really seeing. Just like Téa, he was lost in his own thoughts . . .perhaps the most worried of all four. He had been friends with Yugi for a good while now, but also seemed to know him the best. The thought of what might happen to his short pal was actually frightening him.  
  
Bakura himself looked saddened as well, just like the others. His face supported this by flashing one of his usual 'puppy-eyed' looks. But just like the old saying goes, 'looks can be deceiving'. And in this case especially, no one ever suspects the sweet, innocent, kindly sounding friend . . .but wait. There was something suspicious about Bakura's behaviour. This wasn't like him; back stabbing a friend, lying about it, causing someone close to him so much pain and suffering. No, this was indeed, Yami Bakura. The one who sought revenge against the Pharaoh for burning down his village and killing his family back in the Egyptian times. Of course, he wasn't going to harm the Pharaoh directly . . .instead, deciding to team up with Marik and killing the one that was closest to the old king; the puzzle-bearing Yugi. With their Millennium Items combined, they were able to place a curse upon the fifteen-year-old boy. It was an ancient curse, which put the bearer in a short-lasting sickness. It caused them terrible pain, until they finally died about a week later. And even in the after-life, the cursed one wasn't relieved. They would spend eternity in the dark, cold, abyss known as the Shadow Realm. But was the same thing going to happen to Yugi? Was the puzzle-bearer actually going to die, not having lived a long life?  
  
"Finally!" Tristan suddenly cried out, raising himself from the hardened bus seat. They had at long last arrived at the downtown bus depot. And so after lifting themselves up from the comfort of their seats, they all filed out the doors, following the growing crowd of anonymous people.  
  
Like a car in a traffic jam, the group of friends were trying to make their way to their next transit vehicle, where they would board and get to the hospital in about ten minutes time. But by the way things were going, they weren't going to make it to the port in time.  
  
"C'man, move it!" Joey grumbled, pushing his way through the cluster of people. "I gotta sick friend waitin' for me! Outta my way!" The others followed closely behind; slightly appreciative that Joey had made them a diminutive pathway to follow. But still, besides Joey's loud and boisterous comments to those around him, no words were spoken between of them.  
  
It was a very close call, but the four of them had managed to make it to the bus port on time. Although Tristan and Joey had to remain standing, at least they were on their way to their anticipated destination.  
  
This time it was Tristan who gazed blankly out the bus's large window. Nightfall had fast approached, by the looks of it. The once bright sun was now nothing more then a glowing ball of orange and gold, which was quickly hiding itself behind the distant mountains. The sky was reflecting this, for it was radiating magnificent colours of pink, purple, and tangerine. The soft colours seemed to brighten Tristan's mood, as a small, yet visible smile crossed his thin lips. After all, the sun did remind him of Yugi . . .bright, and always warm towards everyone. ((a/n- that wasn't meant in a shounen ai sense, just a friendly sense ^_^))  
  
Téa noticed this, and raised a curious brow.  
  
"What's he smiling about? Isn't he at all worried about poor Yugi?" She asked herself mentally; feeling a little hurt that Tristan of all people could be smiling at a time like this. But soon enough, Joey's eyes met the setting sun as well. And, as expected, the corners of his pale lips curved into a captivating smile. After a couple more moments, even Bakura was grinning cutely.  
  
"What is wrong with you guys? You think it's a good thing that our friend is suffering?" She cried out, her hands forming themselves into angered fists. But the other three continued on smiling all the same, looking at her through glimmering eyes.  
  
"Hey Téa, why don't you take a look outside?" Joey said, nodding his head in the direction of the waning sun. As asked, she turned her attention to the beautiful orb that was now almost completely hidden behind the massive mountain. She continued to stay quiet for a few moments, still not understanding what the others were smiling about.  
  
It took a moment, but when Téa returned her attention to her friends, she too had a hopeful smile on her face. "You're right guys," she stated, pulling down on her blue skirt. "The sun is a lot like him."  
  
"Oh look," Bakura suddenly noted, pointing to a large building just ahead. Joey, Tristan and Téa then gazed in the appointed direction. It was indeed, the Tokyo Hospital.  
  
~~*~~*~~  
  
After pulling the bell to get off, the group had at long last made it to their destination. And without further ado, they all began walking towards the main entrance . . .amidst the gust, which was blowing against them.  
  
The doors were automatic, so getting inside wasn't a problem! And even though the weather was as warm as ever, it couldn't compare with the coolness of the breeze. They were only outdoors for a few moments, but already, they were all getting chills.  
  
"May I help you?" the receptionist called over to them from behind the wooden oak desk.  
  
"Yeah, we're here to see Yugi Mutou." Joey said, rubbing his hands together in attempt to warm them up.  
  
"Mutou . . .Mutou . . .oh! You mean that younger lad who was taken into intensive care!" the woman, flipping through a few of the white papers in front of her. But her cheerful expression instantly turned grim as she read through them. "I'm sorry to you all, but I'm afraid I have some bad news . . ."  
  
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~  
  
Bad news? Uh oh, that's not something you want to hear at a hospital. Has Yugi actually died? If so, will Bakura and Marik finally get what they both want . . .revenge against the Pharaoh? Hee hee, only I know the answers to these questions. And unless you guys review, I'm not going to tell you either (yup, that's blackmail all right.) So, if you care to know what happens next, you'll leave me a nice, long review! Reminder: Don't flame me too much, either -_-; Until next time! 


	7. Destiny Sucks

My One Promise - Chapter 7  
  
Gaahhh!! I haven't updated in such a long time! And I'm not gonna lie, there's honestly no reason why I haven't updated either. It's my own fault. But because I feel guilty now, I've decided to make this one of my longest chapters in the history of my writing to make it up to you all. Once again, I'm sorry for the delay in updating. Enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh (or so you think ^_~).  
  
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"Mutou . . .Mutou . . .oh! You mean that younger lad who was taken into intensive care!" noted the woman, flipping through a few of the white papers in front of her. But her cheerful expression instantly turned grim as she read through them. "I'm sorry to you all, but I'm afraid I have some bad news . . ."  
  
Each one of Yugi's friends held their breath. Joey even tightened his fists so hard that his palm and knuckles turned a soft white. But the secretary just continued reading the paper to herself, forgetting to take any notice of the impatient teenagers standing in front of her desk.  
  
'She better not say anything about funeral arrangements,' Tristan though to himself, biting his lower lip avidly. His hazel green eyes never lifted themselves from the sight of the woman who was leaving them all in an unpleasant suspense.  
  
"Tsk tsk . . .poor lad . . .poor lad . . ." She kept repeating this phase to herself over and over again, much to the group's misfortune. But enough was enough, and we all know that hot-headed Joey doesn't have much patience.  
  
"Poor lad what?! Give us a break here! What's 'a matter with our bud?" the blond-haired teen shouted, gritting his teeth and taking a big step forward. This caused the receptionist to nearly jump out of her skin.  
  
"Oh yes," she stated, pushing her tiny glasses back onto her pug nose. "Your friend is in Intensive Care. His case is a rare one indeed, because all of the tests we took came back . . .neutral. Never in the history of medical science has an individual's test come back neutral. We just . . .don't know what's wrong with him. And he's getting worse and worse by the hour as it seems."  
  
"But you guys are doctors! You HAVE to know what's wrong with him!" Téa complained, her hair blowing back as she stomped a foot to the ground. The secretary looked in her direction, blinking.  
  
"I'm sorry young lady, but you'll have to discuss the issue with a REAL doctor. I, myself, am not one. You can find your friend in room 213, on the second floor." And on that note, she turned her gaze back down to the computer, once again beginning to type madly away on the keyboard. This left Bakura, Tristan, Téa, and Joey to stand in utter disbelief. Sure, they were somewhat relieved that Yugi wasn't dead, but that feeling of relief might not last too much longer. According to the receptionist, he was getting worse and worse by the hour, which meant his life wouldn't be prolonged for too much more.  
  
Most obviously, staring in disbelief wasn't about to help. So finally snapping out of the daze, the small group of companions made their way carefully to the elevator, with Joey pounding away endlessly on the little red button.  
  
"C'man, c'man! Hurry it up a little, would ya?!" he bellowed at the doors, waiting irritably for them to open.  
  
"Joey, cool it!" Tristan chimed in, grasping his hand on his friend's left shoulder. "Yelling isn't going to get them to open faster, and neither is pressing the button over and over again!"  
  
Joey's response to that? He clearly growled, then shot an angered fist forward, hitting the door as hard as his hand would let him. It left a small dent, but most of the damage was done to the reckless teen's 'paw'. It turned a deep crimson colour and began to throb almost instantly. "Arg, damn it," he muttered, opening and closing his aching fist a few times to try and get the feeling back. But as much as his hand now hurt, at least he managed to 'sanely' get his anger out (although he was still distressed beyond belief).  
  
'DING!'  
  
That little sound could only mean one thing; the elevator was finally at ground level and waiting to take them to their awaited destination. So, after watching the giant metal doors slid open with ease, all four teenagers (along with five other hospital patients) managed to squeeze their way onto the rather diminutive elevator.  
  
"Oh my, it's really packed in here," Bakura said, being squished the most in the left-hand corner. Tristan had managed to press the button for the second floor on the elevator, which soon began to ascend towards the next story.  
  
"Ow! Joey, you bakka! You're standing on my foot!" Téa cried, pulling her now-sore body part back. Joey blinked slightly, then grinned sheepishly.  
  
"Heh, sorry Téa," he responded, sweat-dropping. But before either of them could say another word, the big silvery doors opened themselves once again, revealing to all inside the dwellings of the second floor.  
  
Tristan, Joey, and Téa all managed to get themselves out without much trouble, but Bakura . . .well, that was another story.  
  
"Excuse me! Oops, ouch . . . oh, excuse me ma'am," he whimpered, accidentally backing into an elderly woman. However, it wasn't too long before he unintentionally tripped on a younger boy's crutches, went crashing into a red-haired teen, who tripped the boy with crutches, and finally came tumbling to the ground with a large thud. To make matters worse, the elevator door was in the process of closing. "Oh my!" the 'Ring'- bearer cried, trying to untangle himself from the heap.  
  
"You young hooligans! The elevator ain't for playing!" the elderly woman stated, repeatedly pressing the 'close door' button. This caused the door to habitually open and close on Bakura's shoulders.  
  
Joey and Tristan, who were holding back rude snickers, finally decided to help their friend get out of that mess. So, swooping down and grasping the white-haired teen's arm, they managed to tug him out of the jam and stand him back up again.  
  
"Ah, thanks for that . . ." Bakura sighed, brushing himself off. He turned back around and handed the younger boy his crutches back. "I'm terribly sorry."  
  
The younger boy just smiled at this gesture, then steadied himself with the support of the crutches.  
  
"Guys, let's go!" Téa chimed, jerking her head in the direction they were supposed to be going. The others nodded in agreement and began following after their female companion; and the elevator doors closed silently behind.  
  
"213 . . .213 . . .Ah! Here it is!" Tristan pointed out, extending his arm in the direction of a wooden brown door. The room hadn't been too hard to find at all. So, with everyone gathering in the front of it (and taking a small yet deep breath), Téa knocked lightly using the back of her hand. A moment of silence went by before the door slowly creaked open. It was Yugi's grandfather.  
  
"Hello everyone. Come in, come in . . ."  
  
The first thing everyone immediately noticed was that Mr. Mutou looked more depressed then anyone they'd ever seen. His words didn't seem warm and blissful like they always were; no, this time they seemed to be strained and hostile. His normally cheery violet eyes were red with blood-shot, and if you were to ask anybody who knew him well, you would hear them say he looked older then usual. Well, whatever way you looked at him, you could tell almost instantly that Yugi wasn't doing too well. It didn't take rocket scientist to figure that out.  
  
"Has he woken up yet?" Tristan decided to ask, hoping to shine some kind of spark on the situation. Téa looked the brown-haired teen over for a minute before turning her attention to her sickly childhood friend. He was as pale as the moon, with tiny beads of perspiration trickling down the side of his face. The fluffy white pillow he was lying on was flattening his hair, and an oxygen mask was helping the shorter teen to breathe properly. Of course, not to mension the UV that was injected into his right arm for added support. After looking their friend over for a few moments, they had to agree that Yugi's condition didn't look too promising. If it wasn't for his constant breathing, you could have sworn he was some kind of body ready for the morgue.  
  
It wasn't long before Téa's blue eyes began to water up. It cut her deeply to see such a good friend in such a horrible situation. What had Yugi done to deserve something like this? And besides, how come his sudden illness seemed to take over his body so quick? Téa didn't know, and the only thing she could do at the moment was cry. Cry for Yugi's pain, as well as for her own pain. She buried her face in Tristan's shoulder, who, being upset himself, wrapped a comforting arm around her waist and let her bawl her eyes out. If this was destiny, then it sure as hell sucked.  
  
"It's all right Yugi. Don't forget that I'm watching over you. My one promise is to protect you no matter what the consequences."  
  
This sudden voice made everyone jump.  
  
"That's mighty nice, Joey. Yugi has a good friend in you." Mr. Mutou stated, causing everyone to look in the direction of the confused blond.  
  
"Sorry Gramps, but I'm not the one who said that . . .," He said, nodding in the direction of the room's corner. Perplexed, the group turned their attention to where Joey had pointed out. And before anyone could say anything, the room echoed in monotonous gasps.  
  
It wasn't solid, but if you looked closely, you could see a transparent, terrestrial body of a Yugi look-a-like standing beside the hospital bed. His voice had been a bit deeper, and his eyes looked to be more earnest; but other then that he looked almost identical to the younger teen. Presently, his eyes were focused on the sickly form within the bed, while one of his hands was placed on top of Yugi's.  
  
"You're . . .you're . . ."  
  
On this note, Yami raised his glance towards the stunned group standing somewhat in front of him. He raised a brow, wondering if his aibou's family and friends could see him.  
  
"You're Yami!" Joey cried out, raising his arm and pointing straight at the former pharaoh.  
  
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X_x; I hope that was long enough for you guys. Again, I apologise for the long wait. If you'll give me two or three days, my new story 'The Innocent Encounter' will be up and ready for viewing. Warning, it's both yaoi and a bit of a lime (the pairing being none other then Yugi x Yami). Well, ja ne for now! Don't forget to leave me a pretty review! ^_~  
  
© 2003: Chibi Kai Lover - All rights reserved, dammit! 


	8. Fade to Black

****

My One Promise

Wow, four stories on the go! Luckily for me, it's summer; so I can update as frequently as I need to. But I'm also feeling a little down; my one-shot fic that I've been working on for the past few days wasn't that big of a hit. 'One More Day With You' was a total knockout *sigh*. I guess people just don't like angst-y fics, ne? Here's a couple of comments to reviews people have left:  
  
_StormDriger_: Thanks for your review. I've noticed that you've reviewed almost all my stories. Thanks a bunch for that! A Yugi plushie for ya ^_~  
  
_rox_: I'm glad you like my story. I noticed that you too have been with me a lot. I appreciate it! A Yugi plushie for you too ^_^!  
  
_Yami Kari_: Did I really make you cry that much? I'm sorry T_T. But if you really don't like sad fics, then . . .maybe you shouldn't read this chapter. (eep, spoiling it!) But thanks for your review! A really big Yugi plushie for you to cheer you up!  
  
_Solarious_: *rubs her sore head* Owwie! I'm sorry for not updating as quickly as I should be, but I was in exams at the time, so updating was a little hard to do (also considering I have three other fics on the go as well which need updating too.) And don't worry, I would **never** abandon this fic!! But anyway, I'm glad you liked that part. I did too ^_^.   
  
  
**_Disclaimer: _**I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, however, Yugi was the only one injured in the making of this fic (how's THAT for honestly? ^_~)  
  
** Words inside these marks are lyrics from the song '_My Last Breath_' by Evanescence. For full effects of this fic, listen to the song!_**_  
  
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"You're Yami!" Joey cried out, raising his arm and pointing straight at the former pharaoh. Everyone kept their gaze towards the stunned spirit, who remained unusually silent for the moment being.  
  
"This is quite fascinating," Bakura said to himself, leaning a bit forward to get a better view of the essence ahead. The others, including Yugi's grandfather, just continued to stare. But after a minute, the pharaoh broke the silence.  
  
"You're . . .able to see me?" he asked, raising a curious brow and tilting his head.   
  
"By the looks of it . . ." Joey replied, slightly sarcastic. He didn't mean to be, it was just rather surprising to actually be able to _see_ the guy Yugi was always talking about.

Yami was still a little confused, but almost as if it didn't happen, he turned his gaze back down to his ill-stricken aibou. And with his free hand (the other was still holding onto Yugi's hand; which occasionally fell through his own hand totally because he wasn't fully solid yet), he gently brushed back a few strands of blond hair from the younger teen's pallid face. 

'This is rather frightening,' Yugi's grandfather thought to himself. "He's the exact spirit I encountered in the Pharaoh's tomb many years ago. It was because of this spirit that I just had to adopt Yugi in the first place!' Sugoroku was busy, deep in his thoughts – wondering if the puzzle had something to do with the old pharaoh being here.  
  
"So this . . .is Yami . . ." Téa said to herself, her face turning a slight shade of red as she looked the spirit over. She remembered his voice from before, but never actually knew that he looked so much like Yugi did. His scarlet eyes looked so determined; so hostile. And it was because of these faint eyes that Téa found herself falling immediately in love with the pharaoh.   
  
Soon, however, she snapped out of her trance when her eyes had shifted towards the sickly form of Yugi. He looked so . . .feeble, lying there helplessly as the giant machine continued with helping him breathe. He also seemed to be sweating more, with a face that proceeded to get paler as the sky was darker. This was her best friend . . .her companion since grade school. _How could this happen? More importantly, why did it have to happen? To Yugi of all people!?_ She could feel the warm tears well up behind her eyes again. Téa was one person who didn't like to see anyone suffer.   
  
"Yugi," She found herself crying out. And before she could help herself, Anzu launched herself towards the door, flinging it open and running out. She just couldn't bear to see her friend in pain anymore.  
  
"Téa!" Both Tristan and Joey shouted, running to the door and looking down the hallway – to see where their female friend had run off to. After a quick moment, they both shook their heads and retreated within the hospital room. "Well Gramps, I think it'd be best if we got Téa home." Joey stated, looking towards the old man sympathetically. He himself did not want to go, but he knew that deep inside that he, much like Téa, could not stand to see Yugi in agony much longer.   
  
"Yeah, we'll stop by again tomorrow," Tristan said, taking one last look at Yugi and heading towards the door. He too, found it rather difficult to see a good friend in such pain. But trying his best to shake the horrid images from his mind, he opened the door once again and let himself out. But Mr. Mutou's voice halted him the second he was outside.  
  
"I'll walk you all downstairs. I'm going to get a quick coffee from down there," he declared, rising to his feet once again from his leather-padded seat. He took a firm look at his grandson, then the spirit hovering above him, and figured it'd be all right if he left Yugi there just for a while. He wouldn't be gone too long, and besides, the doctor wouldn't be back to check up on him for at least another hour. So, knowing this, he followed Joey and Tristan out into the hallway, where he very carefully closed the wooden door behind him.  
  
At the very second the door was closed, Yugi's eyes somehow managed to open the slightest bit. He looked up towards his yami, who had suddenly become a lot more visible and physical. This confused Yami, seeing as now he was freely able to pick up Yugi's hand without it falling through his own every once and a while. But when he saw that his aibou's eyes had opened, he felt like he would burst out crying at any given moment.   
  
"Yugi!" he said happily, placing his arms carefully under his hikari and lifting him slightly; enough as to hug him closely without causing him any pain. He was just so happy that the one he loved (friendship-wise) most was finally awake. _Was this a sign that the illness was lifting?_  
  
His question was soon answered, however, as Yugi's left hand suddenly lifted from the bed. It found its way to Yami's shirt, where the younger one grasped it as tightly as his body would let him (which wasn't much at all). The pharaoh looked down at his aibou's grip on his shirt, wondering why he was doing this. But upon looking back up, he saw the tears that had begun falling down Yugi's ashen cheeks. This struck him deeply, as he himself was trying his best not to cry.   
  
"Yugi? Aibou . . .what's the matter? Do you need something? Are you in pain -" Yugi's hold on his yami's shirt suddenly got tighter at the mention of pain. Yami had guessed that Yugi was feeling a substantial amount of it. Feeling an unexplained quantity of remorse, the darker one ran his hands through his hikari's hair, knowing that it always used to comfort him. "Don't worry, my light. I promised that I'd always look out for you, and by my own soul I _swear_ I'll keep that covenant too."  
  
For quite a few moments, not another word was spoken between the two. Yami still had Yugi wrapped protectively in his arms, whilst Yugi's grip on the pharaoh's shirt didn't seem to relapse either. That is, until there was a moment when Yami felt himself become increasingly stronger. He seemed dumb struck; still not understanding why he was becoming stronger and more conspicuous.  
  
He figured it out just then.  
  
It was slightly hard to see, but he swore that, as his body was becoming more tangible, Yugi's body steadily becoming weaker and more faded.   
  
** _Hold on to me love,  
you know I can't stay long -  
all I wanted to say was I love you and I'm not afraid …_**  
  
"Ya . . .mi," Yugi breathed out, another crystal tear falling from his reddened eye. He struggled against his pain, desperate to try and communicate with his darker half. But due to the curse he was under, he wasn't able to speak with Yami through their mind-link anymore. It had been severed somehow.   
  
** _Can you hear me?  
Can you feel me in your arms?_ **  
  
"Aibou! Oh thank Ra! You're fighting it, aren't you?" the pharaoh stated, feeling very proud of his light for putting up such a well-fought battle. But when Yugi managed to gently shake his head, Yami was taken aback – completely puzzled.   
  
Suddenly, the machine Yugi was attached to started beeping faster. The dark one looked to be even more confused now, obviously not understanding machines very well. But he quickly caught on as to what it was signalling; the short teen's breath was rapidly increasing. It looked to him as though Yugi wasn't able to keep his breath in, so he was gasping for more air in attempts of satisfying his lungs' needs.   
  
** _Holding my last breath;  
safe inside myself,  
are all my thoughts of you -  
sweet raptured light, it ends here tonight …_**  
  
"C'mon Yugi, fight it!" Yami cried, letting his other half go from the hug and grasping his wrists instead. He pulled on them lightly, hoping that Yugi would get the message. It seemed to work (luckily for him), because the machine was once again beginning to calm itself down. The light's breath was regulating itself back to normal. A sigh of relief followed as it had managed to escape from Yami's firm lips. '_What was that all about?_' He asked himself mentally.  
  
** _I'll miss the winter;  
a world of fragile things.  
Look for me in the white forest  
hiding in a hollow tree (_come find me_) …_**  
  
"I . . .I'm sorry," came Yugi's frail voice just moments later. His head was now beginning to droop pitiably, while his breathing wasn't getting faster; it was getting slower. The pharaoh craned his neck downwards; wondering why on earth his aibou would apologise for something that wasn't even his fault. Did he know something that Yami didn't? The dark one scowled, a sudden feeling taking over his entire body.

Enough was enough. He couldn't help it anymore – couldn't fight it. The translucent tears welled up unintentionally behind his eyes, which soon managed to cascade their way down Yami's cheeks (only to land on Yugi's already damp face). _Why, my Yugi? Why are you doing this to me?_

** _I know you hear me -  
I can taste it in your tears._ **  
  
Using what little strength he had had left, Yugi opened his eyes the littlest bit, peering up at his yami with pain-filled eyes. He had felt the small droplets splash on his face, evidently showing the pharaoh's grief and apprehension.   
  
Through all the pain; all the suffering little Yugi was going through – he used the last possible amount of strength he had left to smile. One of both hope and assurance. For no matter what happened to him, Yugi would be all right . . .and he showed this in his smile. But his eyes, once again, were beginning to close. But this time, they were definitely going to close - forever.  
  
** _Closing your eyes to disappear,  
you pray your dreams will leave you here.  
But still you wake and know the truth -  
no one's there …**_  
  
Yami saw this, but also realised that he had become solid. He no longer had the showings that he was ever a spirit at all. But instead of gladdening him, this only made him furious and flustered. For this, as he just recently figured out, meant that Yugi was dying. That he was going to become the ghostly spirit; only able to stay because of his attachment to the Millennium Puzzle.   
  
Yami wasn't about to let that happen.  
  
"Yugi! Come on, stay with me!" he cried out, tears rushing down his face worse then ever. But still, the light's eyes continued to close.  
  
** _Say goodnight …_**  
  
"Yugi, please?!"  
  
** _Don't be afraid …_**  
  
"**YUGI**!!"  
  
** _Calling me . . ._

Calling me . . .

As you fade . . . to black . . .**  
  
And it was true. Yugi's vision then began to cloud over, his view of the pharaoh going blurry. And within a mere few seconds, everything he knew – everything he hoped for and loved . . .had gone black. His breathing soon after ceased, as well as his faint-beating heart.   
  
Yami yelled as loud as he could, his cry beckoning anyone who heard him to join in the sorrow; the loss of an angel.  
  
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~  
  
I can't believe it! I killed Yugi! Well, I can't really go and say that. Something might happen that will bring Yugi back, and something might not happen. I dunno yet, haven't thought that far. Well anyway, another chapter down (I'm guessing around two more to go). Thanks again to those who've reviewed. I'd appreciate it lots if you left me more! Heehee, arigatou!  
  
© Chibi Kai Lover: 2003  



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